


My Name Is...

by EHC



Series: AU ideas [16]
Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, Soulmate AU, fill in the blank
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-28
Updated: 2020-09-28
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:08:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,563
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26692708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EHC/pseuds/EHC
Summary: Soulmarks were considered both, a blessing and a curse. A blessing, because, in the blink of an eye, the new-found bearer would find themselves elevated in the eyes of society. They were obviously more than the Markless, those individuals who the gods had deigned to ignore, so of course they deserved better. Better food, better jobs, better pay, better everything. A curse, because the moment it was discovered, a person who had managed to fight tooth and nail to make a comfortable life for themselves in the outer realms could be torn from said life and get thrust into the unknown, whether they liked it or not.Something she had discovered the hard way.(Or, a slightly different take on the idea of soulmates than I've used in my works in the past.)
Relationships: Maxine "Max" Caulfield/unknown
Series: AU ideas [16]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1596307
Comments: 17
Kudos: 13





	My Name Is...

Soulmarks.

Some people went their entire lives without ever getting a one. And depending on your point of view, they were considered the lucky ones.

Soulmarks were considered both, a blessing and a curse. A blessing, because, in the blink of an eye, the new-found bearer would find themselves elevated in the eyes of society. They were obviously _more_ than the Markless, those individuals who the gods had deigned to ignore, so of course they deserved better. Better food, better jobs, better pay, better everything. A curse, because the moment it was discovered, a person who had managed to fight tooth and nail to make a comfortable life for themselves in the outer realms could be torn from said life and get thrust into the unknown, whether they liked it or not.

Something she had discovered the hard way.

When her mark came into being, she had taken one look at her destiny and panicked. Yes, it was a Soulmark and its very existence meant that she could find a new place away from the slums of the city, but to be Marked a Slave? She'd heard the horror stories, everyone had, about the mistreatment and abuse some subs received at the whims of their Dommes, and those weren't even Slaves! She never considered herself subservient to anyone and had suffered through enough in her life already, thankyouverymuch. And so, desperate to maintain her independence (and freedom), she did something incredibly foolish:

She tried to run.

Of _course_ it was stupid to try. She had a fucking soulmark, for gods' sake. She should have remembered that soulbonds allowed their bearers to know how far away they were from each other, what direction they were, and could even act as a homing beacon of sorts. Not to mention that her other, upon feeling her intense panic and desire to run, had alerted the authorities to be on the lookout.

Still, she had been living on the outskirts long enough to elude and evade them well enough, and had actually made it to the city docks before she was finally caught. Further than she thought possible and far enough to give her a glimmer of hope of finding safe passage on a boat of some kind. Destination: anywhere but here. She had no clue that her other had not only alerted the local watchmen to search for her but had also sent one of her other subs in pursuit. _That_ one had been bonded with her Domme for long enough that the two shared an almost telepathic link, allowing for near instantaneous communication between them, which allowed the stalker sub to zero in on her current position and direct the local constabulary to arrest her.

One moment, she was nervously weighing her options (This fishing boat? That cargo vessel? Did she had enough money to buy passage? Would she have to offer her body instead?) The next, she was surrounded by a trio of extremely intimidating guards who looked more than capable of shattering every bone in her body should she try to make a break for it. She had no choice but surrender.

(It never once occurred to her that, as a Marked sub, she was automatically afforded protection from bodily harm from all but her Domme. Not that it would've mattered all that much, though, as the guards who surrounded her were more than capable of subduing her without resorting to brute violence.)

The next three of hours were spent in utter fear of her life. Not that she would be killed, mind you. She did know better than that. But that she'd be punished severely for attempting to escape. That's also something everyone knew: that to run from your destiny was to invite untold pain from your other. They could do anything to you from that point on and there wasn't anything you could to to stop it. No one would help, no one would intervene. Subs lived under the auspices of their Dommes and, better living accommodations or not, one false step would spell disaster. And what's worse, she was a _Slave_ that tried to run.

She was so fucking fucked.

Still, before she could suffer her inevitable punishment, she had to go through the invasive and humiliating procedure that was called processing.

Possessions: confiscated and likely destroyed.  
Clothing: stripped from her and incinerated.  
Body: thoroughly cleansed, inside and out. She hadn't liked the enema at all, hated the dental flush, and had severely mixed feelings about the exfoliation and lotioning. What was the point of pampering her when she was just going to be whipped into submission later?

The subsequent medical exam was likewise thoroughly invasive. Measuring her vitals, fine. Taking her blood? She wasn't fond of needles but at least it didn't hurt much. The gynecological exam? That nearly made run again, except there were a pair of intimidating security officers on standby, ready to cause her immense pain should she try. She had little choice but suffer through it.

After all of that was finished, she was escorted to another room where, to her utter shock, she was given a manicure and pedicure. What the hell was going on? The pair of beauticians who worked on her seemed friendly enough, though outside of some pleasantries, didn't really engage her in any conversation. Still, the whole thing was nice enough that she almost forgot why she was there. Almost. Her continued nudity was enough of a reminder, though. Odd that the beauticians didn't even bat an eye at her state of undress. Too used to it? Simply too professional? She had no idea.

Once her makeup was finished (kept purposely simple as that was her other's preference, according a comment from one of the beauticians), she was dressed in a simple cream-colored cotton tunic, matching shorts, and dark slippers, then escorted from the processing facility to a waiting carriage which whisked her away to parts unknown. She spent the ride nervous as fuck about her final destination. A jail? A dungeon? A pillory? Every possibility she came up with was more heinous than the last, which prevented her from realizing that the vehicle's temperature was kept perfectly comfortable for her current attire, as was every room in the processing facility even when she was completely naked.

Soon enough, her transport slowed to a stop and she looked out the window to see... a school? She blinked in surprise. Of all the places she expected to be taken, this was certainly not on her list of possibilities. Then again, maybe there was a dungeon under the building. Or worse, her punishment was going to be delivered in a class to serve as an object lesson to any other subs entertaining thoughts of disobedience and escape. She shivered at the thought a moment before her door was opened and she found herself staring into the face of a stern security guard. She swallowed heavily and, at his wordless prompting, exited the car.

Her walk across the campus grounds was short and uneventful. She did notice the grounds were not fenced or gated, meaning freedom was a tantalizing short sprint away. But what would running accomplish? She had no supplies, no money, and no real clothing, not to mention that her security escort was watching her like a hawk. She sighed dejectedly. It was pointless to try, and she was already in deep enough shit as it was. Best to not stack more pain atop her already severe punishment.

The pair entered a building, went up a short flight of stairs, walked down a hall, and stopped in front of a numbered door. Room 219. The security officer unlocked the door with a master (which she eyed it carefully), then motioned inside.

"Wait here," he stated. "Your soulmate will be done with class soon." When she entered as instructed, he closed the door behind her, leaving her trapped inside.

She was honestly surprised he didn't warn her against running for it but after a moment, figured he didn't want to waste his breath. She wasn't leaving the way she entered; judging by the shadow beneath the door, he was standing guard right outside. A glance out the window revealed she couldn't jump from the second floor safely. Plus, her escort would likely overhear any attempts to craft a makeshift rope out of the bedsheets and would certainly hear the window opening. She was well and truly stuck. So, she did the only thing she could in this circumstance: she sat on the couch and waited.

As she did, she took a long look around the room. Her other was... interesting, she was forced to admit. The fact that her other was a student at a high school meant they were probably around the same age, but the décor wasn't what she expected at all. A guitar rested against the wall near the couch. Dozens of old-fashioned photos covered almost the entirety of the wall above the bed. A writing desk held several notebooks, folders, and a laptop (currently closed). The rug on the floor had a quote from some show or another. The little bit of clothing she saw was rather plain in appearance. Overall, nothing really stood out to her as to her other's identity. Instead, she marveled at the sheer size of the room itself. There was clearly only one occupant here but in her old neighborhood, a room of this size would've housed a family of five to eight, easily, and would've been expensive as fuck. Her other must've been filthy rich, something that caused a spike of jealousy to rush through her.

Very unexpectedly, she felt a wave of... apology? Through her bond. Which made her stiffen.

Her other was close. Had to be. She swallowed and stared at the door. And waited.

Several moments later, the door opened to reveal... a girl? She felt an unconscious wave of relief at the revelation. She hadn't paid close enough attention to her bond to get any impressions from her other, so her gender came as a surprise, though not an unwelcome one.

"I'm glad you approve," her other stated with a slight smile.

She blinked. Her other had felt that, too!? She squeaked in alarm, ducked her head, and whispered, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to insult you." She clenched her hands together and tried not to tremble, fearful for the vicious rebuke that was coming.

It didn't. For some reason. Instead, after a pregnant pause, she heard her other sigh softly. "I don't need our soulbond to know you're scared shitless of me right now. I can also tell that there's little I can say at the moment that will calm you down. You're too keyed up, which is understandable considering the circumstances of your retrieval."

"Kidnapping, you mean," she replied, unable to stop the bitterness from seeping into her words.

"A necessity," her other corrected. "You may not realize that soulmark bearers are extremely precious commodities out in the badlands. If you weren't located as quickly as you were, there's a really good chance that someone with ill intentions would've discovered you newfound status. At best, that would've led to you being captured and held ransom. At worst..."

She shivered at the dark impressions that drifted from her soulbond. Okay, so perhaps there _were_ worse things that could've happened to her. But before she could dwell on those possibilities any further, she saw her other holding a bundle of something out to her.

"Here," she stated, her face friendly. "I think these are yours."

She took hold of the bundle, opened it, and blinked. "These..."

"Are your things," her other finished, "except for your clothing and shoes, which didn't survive the decontamination process. But don't worry about that too much. Soulmark bearers are granted a monthly stipend by the government to cover essentials if they aren't in a good position financially. We'll get you set up soon enough."

She didn't really know what to say outside of a soft, "Thank you." She really didn't think she'd see any of this ever again. Sure, it wasn't much, but it was well and truly hers, and held a lot of sentimental value.

"You're welcome." Her other slid her desk chair over to the couch and sat close, but not too close. "My name's Max. It's nice to meet you."

She raised her eyes and looked at her other, Max, a little bewildered. Friendly conversation? An offer to get her clothing later? Being given her things back? None of this was going like she anticipated. "Um, hi."

Max didn't seem to take any offense to the tepid response. Instead, she continued to give her a friendly smile. "Processing didn't locate any identification among your things. So, what's your name?"

It was a seemingly innocent question but she knew better. This was a test. And she had only one chance to get this correct. She ducked her head, swallowed, and whispered, "My name is Slave, Mistress." She didn't dare look up. She hadn't been given permission yet, after all. Maybe if she demonstrated proper subservience now, she'd be spared the worst of her punishment, which she knew was still coming.

Her other, _Max_ , sighed. "Look at me, please."

She did so, slowly, and nearly flinched at the disappointment on Max's face. This was it. She was doomed.

"If you weren't aware," Max began, "soulbonds allow their bearers to feel their others' emotional state as well as intent. It can also act as the most full-proof lie detector test imaginable. So, please focus on your bond."

She swallowed but nodded dutifully. "Okay."

"I'm not going to hurt you," Max stated. "I'm not going to punish you. My only goal is to ensure your safety and comfort, to protect you from those who would exploit you and do you harm. I will work to earn your trust, and will do everything I can to provide you a safe environment to live." She smiled softly. "Now tell me, from what you sensed through our bond, am I lying to you? Am I intent on betraying you?"

She stared. It was all she could do for several long moments. What the hell was going on? She knew what Max had said was the complete and unadulterated truth, knew it on a fundamental level. But, why? She had tried to run. Everyone knew what that meant. Didn't they...?

Max, sensing her other's confusion, nodded slightly. "You're not my only soulmate who had the same misconceptions about soulbonds at the beginning. But, don't worry. We'll work to teach you what soulmates mean to one another and what your mark truly represents. It'll take time but I, and we, will be with you every step of the way." She smiled. "So, tell me, what's your name?"

She just didn't know how to process this. At all. The truth of Max's statements was clashing wildly with every memorized warning and rumor. But, her soulmate couldn't lie, right? She wouldn't steer her wrong, right? So, what's the harm in answering? Nothing, really. Best not keep it hidden for too much longer. Even if she had no intention of hurting her now, there was no telling if Max's patience had a limit.

And so, with a sense of trepidation, she licked her lips, opened her mouth, and replied, "My name is..."

**Author's Note:**

> So, who's the girl? I'll let you decide.
> 
> Seriously, though, when I first came up with this concept, examining the idea of soulmates through a more serious lens, I always had Max as the Domme/leader and had pictured Steph as the other character. But, as I was writing, I discovered that it was actually much more interesting to me, personally, to leave her identity unknown. She could literally be anyone in the Life Is Strange fandom. Even Max, if you switched things around a bit. That was on purpose. Simply swap out the name "Max" for almost anyone else, change the final room's decorations, and boom! Instant role reversal.
> 
> If the backdrop for this work seemed vague, that, too, was intentional. See, my initial concept for the setting was a fantasy/medieval setting of sorts, perhaps even a D&D-ish one. But as I wrote, it occurred to me that I could easily slip this into any setting: modern, recent past, cyberpunk, far future, just about anything could fit. As a result, I changed terminology regularly (outer realms, slums, badlands; watchmen, constabulary, police; etc.). If it was more confusing than not, though, I do apologize.
> 
> One aspect of this story I enjoyed stressing was the "everyone knows" angle. Are things really that bad between Dommes and subs? Or is it all simply insane jealousy between the Haves and the Have-Nots? I tend to lean towards the latter, though it's also possible that all of it is true and Max is the outlier.
> 
> Something that wasn't revealed in the story is that soulmarks are unique symbols that all soulmates share, and have an appearance not dissimilar to a Celtic Mandala. Roles are also conferred in the bearer's native language. Max possesses the role of Master. Her other soulmates have various roles, none of which I had figured out at the time of writing.
> 
> Another idea I had is, had this girl been granted a better sub role or one she'd be willing to accept, she would've made her way to the inner city on her own and, upon reaching the city guardsman/border patrol/palace gates, revealed her newfound symbol and been granted access. Her mark would've been verified (people have tried faking a mark to gain entry before) and afterwards, she would've gone through a much more consensual processing procedure. Had she been the one possessing a Domme/leader role, she would've been welcomed to the city as something of a newly recognized celebrity, and her processing would've been coached in more genial terms. E.g. - "We welcome you to the main city! You must be exhausted from your journey. Please, allow me to escort you to our welcoming spa where you will be refreshed and pampered for your new life ahead."
> 
> I don't actually have any intent to continue with this one so cliffhanger or not, I'm marking this complete. And despite its length, as I consider this an AU idea, I'm granting permission for anyone to take this idea and run with it. Have fun expanding on the universe, choosing a single setting, deciding on the identity of the mystery girl, and also the name of Max's other soulmate, the one who had been bonded with her the longest, who was sent out to ensure the new girl was found quickly. Is it Chloe? Rachel? Kate? Victoria? Stella? Literally, the sky's the limit.


End file.
